


Dusk

by comingbacktoyou



Series: The Masks We Wear [3]
Category: GOT7
Genre: Avengers AU, Grief/Mournings, Hurt/Comfort, Jaebum as Black Widow, M/M, Trust Issues, got4 as the hilarious avengers cast, jackson as captain america, lies and betrayal, reawakenings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-14
Updated: 2018-06-14
Packaged: 2019-05-21 23:53:15
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 14,389
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14925417
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/comingbacktoyou/pseuds/comingbacktoyou
Summary: After joining SHIELD, Jaebum is tasked with guiding the newly reanimated Jackson Wang back into the world.





	Dusk

**Author's Note:**

> Hello all!!! Here is part three of the Masks We Wear series and the final backstory before the main fic! It's my first time writing jackbum, and I'm pretty pleased with it. If you haven't already, I recommend you read the first two parts of the series, otherwise a lot of stuff in this won't make any sense and everything is connected in one way or another! You don' have to of course, but I hope you'll stick around for the main event fic soon :)
> 
> I anxiously await your thoughts !!!

Los Angeles. 2019

 

Another piercing scream erupts from the building just opposite of the team, civilians stranded in the perimeter set up trying desperately to escape the chaos that rained down from above. Cement and concrete tumble to the grounds below, fragmenting in sharp pieces onto the streets that narrowly miss the helpless bystanders.

Around the city demented screeches in a foreign language rip through the streets as the fruitful alien beings, the _Chitauri_ , drown out the sounds of the frightened with the buzzing of their advanced weaponry.

Back in the center of the perimeter, the small team composed fully not even a year ago and deemed a failure in the making, huddle together under the fighting that goes on above, defensive weapons raised.

“Alright, listen up. Until we can close that portal, our priority is containment,” comes from Jackson, seared shield in hand, poised in an updated version of his retro Captain America uniform. He’d taken to the leader role well, directing the team throughout the invasion. “Youngjae, I want you on that roof, eyes on everything. Call out patterns and strays.” The younger nods, replacing the remaining arrows he lost back in his holster. “Mark, you got the perimeter. Anything gets more than three blocks out, you turn it back or you turn it to ash.”

Behind the Iron Man suit, the man that rallied for their team’s creation, the most famous and richest person in the city under thirty, grabs onto Youngjae’s waist and revs the jet blasters in his suit. They disappear into the sky in an instant.

“BamBam, you’ve got to try and bottleneck that portal,” the Captain turns to face the witch, eyeing the red specks that dance around his fingertips. “You've got the power, take them out by whatever means necessary.”

As BamBam hovers through the air, Jackson faces Jaebum, who’s busy loading another round. “You and me, we stay here on the ground, we keep the fighting here.”

The pair spin to face the oncoming violence with determination, Jaebum’s gun raised to match Jackson’s shield. A timid voice calls out to them.

“Uh Cap, what do you want me to do?”

The taller boy almost went unnoticed, their youngest, but _most_ excited, buzzing with anticipation under the red and blue of his suit.

To this Jackson shrugs. “Yugyeom, web ‘em up.”

“You got it!”

Alone on the ground while their hopes fill with the prospects of the rest of the team fulfilling their duties, Jackson and Jaebum ready themselves for another round with the Chitauri, the only ones who stand in the way of the aliens reaching the civilians while the police force draws them away to safety.

A squadron of four Chitauri soldiers finds them easily, their high-tech guns and vehicles a looming cloud of grey that tells them that humans truly aren’t alone, and they are not as advanced as they once thought.

“Remind me again why they decided to wake me up?” Jackson asks, back against Jaebum’s where they get ready for the showdown.

“Come on Jacks, don’t tell me you’re getting tired already.”

The Chitauri pounce on them then, Jackson deflecting their blasts with his shield before knocking them down with it a second later. Jaebum shoots but misses at the two on his side, ducking behind an abandonedabandoned car flipped on its doors when they fire back at him.

Jaebum pulls out two magnetic devices from his pocket, and in the next moment stands up to meet the Chitauri soldiers, tossing the circular pods onto their armor. An electric current energizes through the aliens, the blue and white currents shocking their bodies until they fall back and lose consciousness.

Jackson is back at his side, breathing labored. “This is just a lota lot different than the Korean war,” he remarks as a Chitauri transport whips through the air, blasting the road to them as it goes. Pulling Jaebum to his chest, Jackson blocks the fire with his shield and drags the agent back behind the fallen grey buick to move them out of the direct line of fire and think of a new strategy.

“You’re right,” Jaebum chuckles after a few flames lick around them. “Koreans have a lot more stamina than this.”

He leaves Jackson with a wink at the crude insinuation, rising to trail the flight pattern of the transport that’s still not giving up. He eyes Jackson’s shield, motioning to it with his head. “Can you give me a boost?”

Jackson seems unfazed as he realizes what JaebumJaebum is getting at, lining his shield up like a pad for the other to step on.

“Don’t die.”

When the Chitauri transport is in range, Jaebum counts to three.

“I won’t.”

Running full force with all his strength, Jaebum leaps onto Jackson’s shield as he forces it up with all his super soldier-like strength, propelling Jaebum into the air. He lands exactly where he calculated on top of the Chitauri transport, quickly headbutting the soldier off and into the streets below.

Jackson just smiles, eyes in pure admiration as he keeps on fighting.

S.H.I.E.L.D. Headquarters. 2016

 

Waking up after the attack had been the hardest thing. There was so much pain and numbness rubbed raw under every inch of his skin that had he been given the choice, he wouldn’t have opened his eyes at all. But despite his wantings to crawl away and hide forever, Jaebum did, and found himself strapped down to a single hospital bed in the middle of a sterile white room.

He took in the surroundings and wondered, if just for a moment, if it was a dream. He imagined that Jinyoung’s mind had not been wiped blank before his very eyes and the Winter Soldier had not been born again. He pretended he hadn’t been shot in the stomach and left to die, face down and breathless in the biting spring snow. He hoped the whirlwind romance with Jinyoung hadn’t ended the way it did, that they were still together outside of this room.

But then the doors opened and a foreign older gentleman walked in, so Jaebum knew he couldn't be so lucky.

The first thing that caught Jaebum’s attention was the black eyepatch worn across the man's left eye, whether for an interesting fashion statement or because of an accident, he couldn’t tell. The second thing he noticed was the long, dark coat across his back that descended to the floor, indicating himself of importance. The man introduced himself as Jinyoung Park, the director of top American government organization S.H.I.E.L.D. The agency was known well throughout Korea, their best efforts put in place to slide under their radar. Now Jaebum knew what He was up against.

Though the man requested to be called by ‘JYP’, there was no denying the shiver that ran down Jaebum’s spine at the name.

“Im Jaebum. Agent 4421,” the director said, tugging a thick manila folder from behind his back. “One of the most highly regarded assassins in Korea. Sixty-seven confirmed kills, nine languages spoken, IQ of 155, oh, and it says you’re a cat lover.”

Jaebum stared hard, trying to decipher the man and what he wanted - if this was to be some good cop bad cop routine. He figured he was in America, but how and why was the question. “What am I doing here?”

"A very generous agent of ours found you while investigating a case in Switzerland,” JYP explained. “He repaired your wound and brought you to us.”

To his surprise as he snuck a glance down, the once matted flesh ripped through by his lover's bullet was breathing anew, no pain accompanying it.

“But why?”

The director sighed, dropping the folder at Jaebum’s feet. “Because your skills are unmatched, very few can do what you do. That makes people like me, very interested.”

“So what?” Jaebum squirmed against his restraints, scoffing. “You want to give me a job or something?”

"Or something,” the director countered, mouth pulled tight. “I know you’ve killed people, which has made you an enemy to our organization. If it weren’t for me, you’d have already been locked up in the federal penitentiary, or worse.”

He couldn't imagine anything being worse than where he's at now, rock bottom after losing everything to an assassin with a trigger finger.

“If I’m as bad as you say, then why keep me alive? What purpose do I serve you?”

Across from the bed Director Park tugged a chair around to sit down, hands crossed in his lap. “We’ve been trying to take the Academy down for decades. Somehow they always evade our efforts. We’ve never had someone who’s been inside, knows how they operate.”

Jaebum squinted his eyes, already putting the pieces together. “So you want me to help you take down the Academy?”

The idea was insane, Jaebum knew how intelligent the organization was. But then again, like the director said, they’d never had anyone who had been there. Jaebum has, he’d lived through everything that organization had put him through. It had been his playground as a child, his muse as an adult. He’d been branded with their mark, he _is_ the Academy.

While he still wasn’t sure what the director wanted from him yet, Jaebum knew this could be his one chance to tear down the place that stole his life away and took him from his parents. And then maybe, if he was fortunate enough, he could find Jinyoung and be with him once more, memory loss be damned. They could make a new future.

Director Park nodded. “If you help us, you’ll be granted full immunity by the World Security Council, and your records will be wiped.”

The thought was too good to be true. From looking at the man before him, Jaebum couldn’t tell if he was playing him or not. Perhaps the director was lying, and after they take down the Academy Jaebum would just be thrown into prison without a second thought.

Backed into a corner, either way he would be going to jail for his crimes. But if he helped this SHIELD group, he could actually save lives, and make sure that no more innocent children are ripped from their homes and forced to be killing machines. The choice is obvious.

“When do we start?”

 

Under the watchful eye of SHIELD, Jaebum wasn’t allowed to do anything outrageous. He was given a room to sleep in and a guard to watch him nearly every hour of the day until Director Park deemed him trustworthy.

He got to meet the prestigious Mark Tuan of Tuan Enterprise, the most influential billionaire in the world, and also the person who happened to save his life. Mark is fun, quiet but snarky most of the time, and always willing to offer Jaebum pointers about working with SHIELD.

“Don’t let let that old pirate intimidate you,” he said to Jaebum once after Park had berated him for not remembering crucial information regarding the Academy, while comically snacking on some grape nuts. Park only glared at him. “Since we have jack shit on this place, you’re the best thing we’ve got.”

Jaebum decided he liked Mark Tuan very much that day.

With the help of some other SHIELD agents, Director Park, and Mark, Jaebum was able to give them everything he’s learned from his time in the Black Widow program, and when it was time, their small team was created with the backup of over two hundred SHIELD agents and sent off to North Korea.

Jaebum marveled at Mark’s suit, made all from the creativity of his mind. He found he quite liked the Iron Man suit a lot, even more so when Mark was in it, cruising through the air and taking down anyone that went against him. Mark’s feat in technology was nothing short of stunning, and he was able to sport Jaebum with dozens of little gadgets to help him during the mission, from his charged metallic disks intended to shock the enemy out of commission to his personal favorite, the electrostatic energy balls attached to the bracelets on his wrist, capable of delivering volts of up to 30,000 volts which they’d coincidentally named the ‘Widow’s Bite’.

They arrived at the Academy doors at night, SHIELD agents disabling the camera and security system to let them pass by.

“You ready for your redemption arc, Black Widow?” Mark asked through the suit. Finding the name fitting, Jaebum nodded.

Though the element of surprise was able to give them some time to take out as many teachers and guards as possible, it didn’t give them everything. They were caught in the crossfire of some of the older operatives, but left the smaller SHIELD strike team to take them out and round up all the children and other trainees.

Mark worked by Jaebum’s side as he led him through the building in search for the Headmaster and the other superiors, knowing that if the organization were to come down, it had to be destroyed from the source.

Secretly, Jaebum also had a plan formed for when he found Jinyoung again. He knew it would be double-crossing the SHIELD team and Mark, but once he had Jinyoung in his sights, he would distract Mark with something small, like a mini explosive, then take Jinyoung and run away forever. They would live together for the rest of their days, growing old as they were never forced to kill again.

Only he never found Jinyoung, like he’d expected. There was no jumping from the shadows, or knifes in their sides. They were met with an abhorrent silence, no sign of the Headmaster or the Winter Soldier anywhere. The entirety of the complex was cleared out, everyone arrested and taken into SHIELD custody except the two aforementioned.

The children, young and old, scrambled around Jaebum as they were led from the building, and even if the crack in his heart was shattering even more, he guided them into their trucks with promises of a better life, the life he could never have.

When all was finished and taken care of, despite the rest of the work that still needed to be done, Mark approached him, the yellow face of the Iron Man suit disappearing to reveal his own.

“You know, we could really use you on the team, Im.” Jaebum sighed, foot caught in the dirt. “I know Park promised that once this was all over you could go home and be a normal person again, but he’d be a fool not to recruit you.”

Jaebum didn’t respond, looking forward at the empty building, the one he called home for so long. There was no going back there, or his real home with his parents in the South. He couldn’t just pretend like the last few years never happened, no matter how much he wished he could. His parents would be ashamed of the person he grew up to be, they would never take him back.

The fact was there was a also hard pill for Jaebum to swallow - he needed to accept that Jinyoung was gone. With no memories and a mind wiped clean, there was no telling where he was, or where he would go. As much as Jaebum wished he could scoop Jinyoung into his arms again, he knew, deep down, there was a slim chance it was going to happen.

And while the Jinyoung ship had likely sailed off without him, there was another one, an even nicer cruise liner waiting for him at the dock. If he decided to do this, stick with SHIELD, then maybe one day, in his own way, Jaebum could right all the wrongs he’d done. All the lives he took because he was told to, now he could win points back with his conscience, and begin doing good things for once. Saving the children from the Academy already made him feel pride inside, so if there was a chance to help other people in the world, well Jaebum would be a fool to throw that away.

In his heart, he would never give up on Jinyoung. Perhaps one day they could find a way to rewrite their story, but for now, Jaebum had limited options. He glanced back up at Mark, mind already made up. “Do I still get to keep my room?”

Laughing out loud like he knew Jaebum wouldn’t reject the offer, Mark clapped him on the back and tugged him under his shoulder. “Of course! Mis casa es su casa, mi amigo!”

As they were seated back in the SHIELD carrier, Mark tapped his shoulder, and revealed a sealed folder from behind his back. “Hey, I stole this from Park’s office, check it out.”

Sliding the papers into his lap, Jaebum wondered if this was going to be a routine thing with his new friend. Slowly, he read the bolded red words lined across the manilla diagonally:

AVENGERS INITIATIVE: CLASSIFIED.

 

The Avengers initiative, the super secret idea to create a team of truly remarkable people made not so secret by Mark Tuan came together slowly after Jaebum agreed to join SHIELD and they wipe his record clean.

It started with Mark, the first official Avenger cast to join the team after taking on the Iron Man role (on his own accord) and helping SHIELD crack down on crimes across the country. Mark’s home, the towering skyscraper that lurks distinguishable over the middle of downtown Los Angeles, which they call Tuan Tower, was just minutes away from the SHIELD office, and allowed the billionaire to house all his latest gadgets and devices.

Jaebum, while technically just an agent working for SHIELD like any other, was deemed the second, yet unofficial avenger. Mark continued to allow him a room at Tuan Tower, and in return, Jaebum worked to maintain the security system of the entire base as well as training Mark in a few things he’d learned from being a spy. Due to Mark’s incessant joking about where he came from, Jaebum’s codename became _Black Widow_ in the SHIELD identity system, and he didn't bother to have it changed.

Another operative Jaebum had never met before but only heard of, Agent Choi, reluctantly joined their team despite not trusting Jaebum at first. It turns out, Youngjae had been there when Mark had found him on the train, and had urged JYP to throw his ass in jail with no mercy. It had taken him some convincing, but he younger eventually came around to Jaebum being brought into the organization. Skilled in the mastery of archery and athletics, Youngjae’s reflexes are some of the fastest in the world, eyes like a hawk. He kept watch over everything that goes on at SHIELD from the platforms up above, earning him the codename _Hawkeye._

Despite their previous tensions surrounding Jaebum’s legitimacy a member, he soon learned Youngjae had a heart of gold and was only looking out for others when he came off as mean and abrasive. Under the covers of the seriousness though, Youngjae was bright and _loud_ , his infectious laugh something Jaebum looked forward to when he got to work everyday. He also had a beautiful singing voice, Jaebum made sure to tell him that when Mark dragged them to a karaoke bar on their night off. Mark grabbed the attention of the entire place which left Jaebum and Youngjae alone to talk more, and as the pair cracked jokes about Mark’s twisted fame and each other, Jaebum slowly found Youngjae becoming a close, close friend.

Their next Avenger came when Mark left for the weekend to visit New York for some scholarship given in his family’s name. Instead of coming back with a placard congratulating him on being a sponsor, he returned home with a kid tucked under his arm.

“This is Kim Yugyeom,” he said, pointing to the very tall, very lanky _teenager_ crouching under his grip. “Newest avenger, calls himself Spiderboy.”

Jaebum and Youngjae just stared from the couch where they’d been playing poker.

The kid, Yugyeom, shrunk back with a small voice. “It’s Spiderman actually, Mr. Tuan.”

“Right, right,” Mark affirmed, releasing the kid with a laugh. “Well Spiderman,” he gestured to the two on the couch. “Show them what you can do.”

It took a few moments for anything to happen, so much so that Youngjae snorted into his palm. Jaebum slapped him on the shoulder for being a twat, and before he could bring his hand back, there was a sticky white substance wrapping around his wrist and gluing him to Youngjae’s side. As Jaebum looked back he gasped in awe at a string of the substance leading from Yugyeom’s arm where he’d just propelled it from his wrist.

The substance was strong and durable, like a mountain of cobwebs tangled to his hand. Jaebum and Youngjae tried to pull off of each other at the same time, but in the end the material only ended up snapping back, crashing them into each other.

“Yah, what is this stuff!?” Youngjae screeched in disgust.

“It’s my web,” Yugyeom announced, face proud of showing off his talents. “I got bite by some weird radioactive spider and got all these neat powers!”

Jaebum wished he could relate. “That’s cool kid, now get us out of this stuff.”

“Yes of course, sorry!”

Yugyeom eagerly rushed towards the pair to begin unraveling his web, tongue poking out from his lips. Jaebum wished he could be that young again, energetic and full of life.

Across the room, Mark stood smiling like he just won the lottery, arms crossed. “Jaebum, I think you and Yugyeom will get along nicely. You’ve both got that spider thing going on.”

The kid smiled at him bashfully. It seemed they did.

Their second to last recruit came in late 2017, after the small country of Thailand was ravaged by a mercenary group looking to take over the city using nuclear weapons. SHIELD called them in just in time to take the group down, but not in time to stop most of the city of Bangkok from being reduced to rubble.

Things got worse when they stumbled upon a teenage boy wielding a glowing blue scepter, standing amongst the rubble and mutilated bodies. From his hands beautiful sparks of scarlet energy bloomed, but despite their beauty, the Avengers were left fragmented by their effects when the Thai boy posed his defense. The kid could fly, manipulate energy, possessed telekinesis, and could control minds for a brief period of time.

It took a long, drawn out, painful hour or so to stop the boy from destroying them and any more areas of the city, but eventually they got him to calm down with the help of Yugyeom, who removed his mask to show he was just a scared kid like him.

They took the kid, whom they later learned is named _BamBam_ , into their custody and clean up the city as best as possible. They confiscated the scepter and send it to SHIELD for testing. Along the way home they discovered BamBam had been experimented on by the Thai government and created to be a weapon against its enemies, as seen by the destruction he caused when the Avengers came in. He assumed they were more mercenaries looking to kill, which is why he attacked.

BamBam was no younger than Yugyeom, and after he was checked out by SHIELD scientists and doctors, the two became fast friends as the youngsters on the team when BamBam was allowed to move into Tuan Tower.

Then on a cold February day at the start of the 2018 year, Jaebum was called into Director Park’s office out of the blue. He thought it was because of his latest slacking performances (which led to him being severely injured in action), but he was utterly surprised when JYP led him from his office down to the company basement.

They entered a room barely illuminated by a red glow and warmer than the rest of the building. Jaebum began to feel the sweat pooling at his temples, nearly ready to take off his black shirt when Park stopped them in front of a two-way mirror, and flipped on a switch.

Lights flooded the scene, casting bright even blue tones into the room before them. It was hard to tell what exactly laid inside, but half a dozen SHIELD doctors navigated around the object stationed in the middle, with what looked to be portable heaters in their hands.

“What do you know about Captain America?”

Jaebum looked back from the object - what he then saw as ice, melting slowly under the heaters. “He’s an old Korean myth.” The question was odd, taking Jaebum back. He remembered the name ‘Captain America’ from his youth, before being trained by the Academy. He was someone his father spoke of in high regards, an old war hero the kids would gossip about during the Korean War. But it was just a playground myth.

“All myths have to come from somewhere,” the director countered, right as a wide chunk of ice no bigger than a football broke off and collided with the ground.

Jaebum saw it then, the thing buried in the ice. Thing, or person, as he stepped closer. It was hard to guess exactly what it was from where they were standing, but the dark mop that led down into a tan facial structure told him it was a human being, and by the clues the director had given him, Jaebum could only guess who.

“Are you telling me that that’s Captain America?”

“Jackson Wang, born 1930 in Hong Kong, China.”

Jackson _Wang._ The name sounded familiar as Jaebum tasted the sound on his tongue. He had heard it somewhere, or read it before, but he couldn’t place the name for the life of him.

“Went into the ice sometime in 1952, never came out,” the director continued. “It seems the legend will live on.”

Jaebum scoffed in disbelief. “Wait, you’re telling me this guy’s still alive? That’s not possible.”

“Anything’s possible nowadays, Im. He was a super soldier, groomed to withstand anything. The ice kept him alive in cryo freeze for sixty-six years.”

After all the years of believing the legends to be false, Jaebum felt shame for not carrying the validity of the story his father shared with him. “So what happens when he wakes up?

“Great question Agent, exactly why I called you here.” JYP turned and walked to the side of the room where a small binder laid He gracefully dropped it into Jaebum’s hands, grinning. “I’m assigning you to acclimate him to our time. Everything he needs to know is in this binder. I would start looking it over, they give it about a week or two till he comes to.”

Eyeing the binder with distaste, Jaebum knew not to disagree with the director, no matter how much he _didn’t_  want to deal with teaching a sixty six year old fossil about the new millennium or how to work technology. It was going to be hell.

Jaebum nodded and made to leave then, but the director was pulling him back with the seriousness of his voice.

“One more thing,” he said, and out from his pocket appeared a delicate photograph, worn down by the sands of time. He placed it face up on Jaebum’s binder, waiting for a reaction. “I ask you to promise me only this.”

Eyes found the image placed delicately down below him, the agent gasping when he saw two men nestled side by side, one the most familiar of faces. Jinyoung smiled up at him, younger, brighter, dressed straight out of the fifties, and arm stretched around a smaller boy that only reached his shoulders where they were posing by the pier.

“Where did you get this?” His eyes were wide as his heart pummeled in his chest unevenly, hoping the director hadn’t caught onto him.

“The war department kept Wang’s _personal_ items locked away,” JYP noted, sliding the image off the binder and back into his pocket. “I understand you’ve worked closely beside the Winter Soldier during your time at the Academy,” he remarked, and Jaebum was defenseless to deny it. “He used to be Sergeant Park Jinyoung of the US military, and best friend to Captain America.”

Gulping, Jaebum wished he could see the picture once more, to regard the life Jinyoung once lived, the one he tried so desperately to remember in their shared time together. It was decades before Jaebum was even born, before his parents, even. It felt surreal as the pieces fell into place, Jaebum was just upset Jinyoung would never know who he was before all of this.

 _Jackson Wang._ The name finally clicked. It was the same one punched into the metal dog tags he had fixed and wore around his neck as a memory, the same tags Jinyoung had no idea how they came into his possession, the very same ones he had given Jaebum right before everything had turned to shit. They nearly burned where they dangled around his neck.

"Park is beyond saving,” Director Park finished, looking out at the frozen man trapped beneath the ice heap. “If Wang finds out he’s still alive, he’ll stop at nothing to find him. We need him here, on the Avengers. He’s better off believing his friend died in 1952, it’ll save him the heartache.”

Though Jaebum understood the reasoning behind the director’s choice, there was nothing there that felt right about it. If this Jackson Wang wanted to go out and hunt Jinyoung down, he should have the right to do so. But selfishly, Jaebum felt icy hot jealousy prick at his nerves, knowing Jinyoung had someone else before him, and now he was back, likely to stay.

But Jaebum trusted JYP, he always has. He agreed the keep the secret, knowing Jackson will be better off not knowing what truly happened to his friend. There was a part of his also deep down that knew Jackson can also never know about Jaebum's relationship with his old best friend, not that Jaebum would tell him anyway. It would be his burden to keep, buried down like the memories of Jinyoung he tried to fight back each and everyday.

 

 

In the middle of the couch in the common room in Tuan Tower, Jaebum sat with his legs crossed and arm stretched over the back of the couch, fiddling with the leather fabric idly. He cooled his laughter down into an amused grin, watching as the man before him struggled to come to terms with the reality of HD television.

“And they make tvs this big?” Jackson Wang, freshly risen from the ice only weeks ago, gazed in awe as he investigated the fifty two inch plasma screen nestled in front of the floor to ceiling windows of the room. “How can all the parts fit if it’s this flat?”

“I don’t know Cap, it’s just how technology works nowadays.”

The first week spent acclimating Jackson to the new world had been difficult, it still was. What had been a heart-wrenching first day watching as Jackson woke up without a clue of where he was and learned that everyone he ever knew was most likely dead, had turned into a later comical week of the older man figuring out the basics of world history and the best - technology.

It was hard, seeing Jackson wake up alone, scared and utterly devastated that he had somehow survived the crash and his best friend, their Jinyoung, didn’t. He stared as Jackson cried in agony as he was told the news from his hospital bed, nearly shedding a tear himself. True to Jaebum’s word with JYP, he never mentioned Jinyoung still being alive and out there somewhere with no memory of either of the two.

Despite the disbelieving first couple of hours Jackson spent telling himself this was all a dream, he was able to come to terms with the fact he’d woken up sixty six years in the future, and that there were people that needed him most.

_He had reacted to the news just like everyone expected him to. With the strength given to him by the super soldier serum he was able to rip himself from the straps that bound him to the hospital bed and smash through the walls completely until he fell into the Los Angeles streets._

_From there he ran as fast as he could before his feet got tired, dragging him to the only place he could think of when he realized just where he was - home._

_From the image Park had shown him and the research he did himself on Captain America, Jaebum guessed there was only one spot the old soldier would go, and as Jaebum traced the sandy beaches of the pier, he sighed in relief to find the target hovering over the railing._

_Jaebum came to stand next to the man, mirroring his position but looking out into the beginnings of the orange sunset. “This is a good place to clear your head, I come here a lot when things are too stressful.” Out of the corner of his eye Jaebum felt Jackson turn his head towards him. “I’m special Agent Im Jaebum, of SHIELD. Glad to see you’re alive and well, Captain.”_

_“I know this is a lot to take in, but we need you to-”_

_“Is it really 2018?” Jackson’s voice was broken, a harsh scratch from the years of nonuse. But underneath all the gravely tones Jaebum could hear the sadness it carried, tinted with pain._

_When he turned to look at him, Jaebum’s breath hitched when Captain America’s eyes were red-rimmed and puffy, eyes glossy like he’d been crying. Jaebum let himself analyze every inch of Jackson Wang’s face, from his golden skin to the curve of his brows and his handsome cheekbones, wishing there was someway he could make everything okay._

_“I’m sorry,” he gulped. “I know how hard this is for you, but I need you to come back with me. The world’s become very messed up while you were gone, and we could use someone like you around.”_

_Jackson scoffed, crossing his arms in defiance. “Someone like me?”_

_“A leader, strong-willed, kind-hearted.” Without wanting to make the other man even more uncomfortable than he already was, Jaebum backed away a few feet, to give him some room to breathe. “An American hero.”_

_Jackson only shrugged, tone laced with guilt and sorrow._

_“I’m not a hero.”_

_Plan A wasn’t working well to Jaebum’s advantage, so he regrouped to think of something else. There was no way he was leaving without Captain America, but he just needed a ploy to get the other man back with him._

_A scream erupted then from across the pier, a frantic young woman desperate for someone to help her._

_“Please, someone help my babies!”_

_Jackson was the first to sprint to the direction of the sound like he was magnetized to it, Jaebum following hot on his heels. They were met with an already blossoming crowd underneath the ferris wheel, a blond woman in her mid-thirties struck down in tears as she gaped up at the horrors that met her._

_One of the carts on the ferris wheel had somehow been pulled loose from the left side that held it up, and it was currently dangling downwards from the tether of its right side only. There were two children inside, a little boy and girl, their cries heard by the bystanders below._

_Jackson was already at the controls, pushing past the terrified crowd. “Turn the ride back on and bring them down here!”_

_“Sir, we can’t!” The wheel operator explained in panic, arms raised. “If we try and move them the rest of the tether holding the cart up will break! We have to wait for the fire department!”_

_Above them something snapped suddenly, followed by the sound of metal rattling against each other. More screams are heard as the cart slid from the right tether even more, the mother down below praying to god with her hands clasped tight._

_“We don’t have time for that!”_

_High on red alert, Jackson pushed past the operator to jump onto the empty cart stopped at the bottom of the wheel, pulling himself to the roof easily. Jaebum watched in awe as the man stretched his arms out and lept towards the poles that attached the wheel to the center of the machine. Like a gymnast working himself around the bars, Jackson shimmied himself up the white poles until he reached the carts just below the top, a few hundred feet in the air._

_The kids, still stuck inside crying for their mother, grew quiet as Jackson maneuvered himself to their cart slowly, so as not to disrupt its balance._

_“Stay calm guys, I’m going to get you out of there,” Jackson informed them, voice softer in nature to keep the kids steady. He gripped the pole harder as he moved closer, stretching out his right arm. “Okay now one at a time, give me your hand.”_

_The oldest of the two, the little girl, nodded and began pushing her brother forward to go first. But the weight distribution seemed to have changed significantly as the little boy was moved across, and before Jackson could process what was happening, the tether snapped._

_Shrill screams bursted from down below as the cart began falling, but luckily enough Jackson was quick with his reflexes, free hand snatching the top of the cart like a hook, while the other remained poised around the pole that tethered it._

_Even from down below where Jaebum watched in uncertainty, he could hear Jackson’s grunts in pain where he was straining himself, the muscles of his left arm barely able to hold everything up._

_He rushed to the operator. “Quick, start the wheel again and get them down here!”_

_The lanky boy didn’t need to be told twice, flipping the red switch that brought life to the attraction. It swung into motion with a jolt, but Jackson hung on with all his power, face distorted from the force he was exerting._

_It didn’t take long for the cart to reach ground level, Jackson letting go of the small wagon with a huff. As the children were released from their metal cage, cheers and applause erupted all around Jackson as he picked himself up and breathed a new air of life into his lungs._

_“Thank you! Thank you so much!” the mother cried into his arms as she crushed him into a bruising hug._

_All the while Jaebum just observed Jackson and the people around, he knew by the look in Jackson’s eye that he missed being a hero, helping people who needed it. He was highly impressed too, and maybe a little winded by the act of heroism Jackson just displayed, from the daring selflessness to the way his muscles bulged under the weight of it all._

_When the crowd finally dispersed and the fire department had arrived, Jaebum was left standing with his side pressed against a cabana door, coy smile on his face as he waited for Jackson to notice._

_“So you’re not a hero, huh?”_

_Jackson’s mouth formed a tight line, chest still heaving from the bodily strain. He looked Jaebum up and down, shrugging his shoulders._

_Jaebum pushed himself off from the wall. “Captain, come back to SHIELD with me,” he begged softly, eyes meeting Jackson’s dark brown ones. They were crowded with the ghosts of times past but Jaebum still saw hope in them, stretching out his hand. “You can trust me.”_

_With the opportunity staring up at him, Jackson took a deep breath, eyeing the palm placed before him. With one last look back at the ocean beyond the pier, Jackson let his fingers curl around Jaebum’s._

Just then, Yugyeom descended from the ceiling with the sticky string of his web, startling Jackson who shrunk back behind the tv.

“You really think tvs are the most complicated thing out there, old man? We have literal aliens coming to this planet.”

Yugyeom chuckled to himself, Jaebum sighing in irritation. The door to the common room opened then, revealing a freshly dressed Mark Tuan brushing his hair back.

“What did I say about pestering senior citizens?” He fitted a piece of the Iron Man suit on his hand and pressed the button, the glove of the suit wrapping around him snuggly. The next moment he raised it near Yugyeom’s body, sending a fiery blast that sliced straight through his web. Yugyeom tumbled to the floor with a yelp, Jaebum and Jackson chuckling at the sight.

As Yugyeom got to his feet BamBam and Youngjae enter the room simultaneously. It was easier now to see how well Jackson got along with everyone. As Jaebum had become sort of his personal tutor on all subject revolving around the new millenium, they were still a mystery to each other, Jaebum keeping a safe distance from the person who was best friends with his former lover.

Yugyeom was sweet, but a constant pest whenever Jackson was around, joking about his age and abilities, like Yugyeom could do any better. Youngjae and Jackson got along well, the older no match for Youngjae’s infectious vibes and energy.  BamBam was perhaps the closest out of all of them with Jackson, the pair sticking together like glue and a force to be reckoned with when they were training together in the basement of the tower.

When it came to Mark, Jackson more or less found himself bickering lightly when he was around, his ideals aligning always a little to the left of what Mark wants. There was also the fact that Jackson was his father's former friend and greatest creation, the only thing he bragged about to Mark for years, their friendship something Mark had grown to dislike out of jealousy in his youth.

“Anyways,” Mark announced to the room as he revealed a small touch screen device from his pocket. He jostled the device forward and suddenly holographic images were projected into the air. “Alright gather ‘round children, and _Gramps.”_ Mark chuckled to himself despite the roll of Jackson’s eyes, looking to the images displayed before them, a blueprint of a war ship and mugshots of half a dozen men. “The Avengers are getting a new mission. Fourty or so SHIELD agents are being held hostage on this ship by some deeply troubled French marines. Park needs us to get em out.”

Already moving towards the elevator, Jackson’s shoulders were up high as he put his game face on. “What’s the plan then?”

“I don’t know.” Jackson shot Mark a look that said he didn’t buy it. “Park’s putting you in charge again, for some odd reason.”

It wasn't his first time being in charge of the team, but Jackson always took the role with care, like he was scared to break it. He casted his eyes to the rest of the room, nodding.

“Then suit up.”

  

 

“Alright, Bam and Youngjae, I want you guys on the deck, make sure no one gets down below.” Cruising through the calm air on their very own Quinjet, the Avengers were suited and seated around the doors as Jackson rattles off instructions for everyone. “Jaebum, you take the lower level while Yugyeom gets to the control center.” Yugyeom nodded once, lowering his red mask over his face. “Tuan, you and I will rescue the hostages. Lets move out.”

Standing, BamBam saluted with an, “Aye aye Cap’n!”, earning him a distinct glare from Jackson under his blue helmet.

As Captain America, Jackson was great at leading the team whenever the situation called for it. He knew exactly where to place each person so they can use their skills to the fullest, but as Jaebum watched the team line up at the back pad descending, he knew that once again he would have to sneak around behind the team’s backs to retrieve the information only _he_ can.

As the pilot gave them the clear to begin their landing, Jaebum sighed and crawled onto Yugyeom’s back, having pulled the short end of the stick this time of which flight-avenger would escort him down. Youngjae was held onto tightly by Mark with BamBam gripping onto Jackson’s hand as the sextet began their descent, the cover of the midnight sky cloaking them like a shadow in the night.

They worked swiftly and in tandem with each other once they reached an empty part of the ship’s deck, BamBam and Youngjae staying behind to take down any crewmen on the top levels while the rest moved to their stations down below.

Yugyeom split from their group first when they reached the level of the control room, promising he would have no trouble securing the room and disabling any security cameras he found. Jaebum broke off from them second, as he descended to the lowest level of the ship, leaving Jackson and Mark to work together to gather the hostages.

Jaebum wandered through the rocky hallways that swayed with the weight of the current, turning a corner too quickly and ducking back when a group of mercenaries turned their heads in the direction of his footsteps. Cursing himself for not being more careful, Jaebum snagged a little smoke bomb from out of his black pants and ripped the ring out. Covering his mouth as he rolled it around the corner, he gave the device a few seconds to detonate before rounding the hallway to face the men.

Their coughing was a distraction enough for Jaebum to wade through the smoke that blinds them, always one for the sudden surprise. He crashed into the first man and took him down easily, headbutting him square in the nose and throwing him back into the opposite wall with a solid grip on his elbow.

With the smoke still clouding the men’s senses Jaebum blended in with it like he was trained to do, crouching to the floor and crawling on his hands and knees, knowing they wouldn’t suspect him down there. Two small knives were out of his ankle holsters and in his hands in seconds before he was driving them hard into the calves of the nearest two Frenchmen, fighting back a smile when they cursed god in their mother tongue.

Their guns clattered to the floor as they do, Jaebum somersaulting through the smoke as it cleared to take down the rest.

Once the boys on this side of the ship were either _A,_ knocked out with minor bodily harm, or _B_ , thrown overboard when they got too picky for Jaebum to deal with, the Black Widow moved onto the next stage of his task, checking his watch monitor to navigate him to the ship’s main computer system.

“Lower level secured,” he informed into his earpiece, ascending the ladder in front of him to catwalk to the place he'd got his eye on. He wondered briefly how the other Avengers were doing, if Jackson and Mark had found the hostages yet, or if BamBam and Youngjae were faring well on the roof. BamBam had the greatest powers out of any of them, so Jaebum decided there’s no use worrying over him holding his own, he knew what BamBam could do, seen everything the kid’s got firsthand.

Yugyeom’s voice broke through the earpiece as Jaebum found the ship’s system. “Control room secured.”

Locking the doors to keep away any intruders, Jaebum set up the flashdrive given to him in the computer’s main system and began searching the database for the information he needs.

While Jaebum was faithful to the Avengers, never putting their missions in danger in favor of something else, he also answered to Director Park first hand. He was often given his own tasks outside of the team’s bubble without them knowing, whether it was retrieving plans or finding out the source of a hostage situation - like he was now - because the Director trusted him to get it done.

Jaebum trusted Park the most out of anyone there, only because he was the only one to give Jaebum a chance. Park took him on despite the red drowning his ledger, and for that, he would always be in the older man’s debt.

So, he did what Park asked him to do with secrecy, like he was now. Apparently, the kamikaze French marines weren’t the only ones behind the operation, and according to an undisclosed source, the men were paid by whatever was left of the _Academy_ , a taste for vengeance and to cover their own agenda. As this tied into their dealings potentially with the Winter Soldier, Jaebum was asked by JYP to keep quiet so Jackson couldn’t find out and eventually trace everything back to his old friend.

“Secured the hostages,” Jackson’s voice broke through Jaebum’s ear, winded from the fight he undoubtedly won. “Avengers, assemble on deck. Strike team ready the Quinjet when I say-”

The lines cut off with a shrill sound, causing Jaebum to flinch back and rip the piece from his ear. He looked at it startled, imagining the scenario that caused the line to go dead. Someone must had gotten the jump on Jackson when he wasn’t looking, bravely thinking they could take down the one and only Captain America. _They have a big storm coming_ , Jaebum thought as he found the right file, encrypted to make the trail on the Academy grow cold. It was no matter, once he got the drive to SHIELD, they would be able to decipher the encryption and see who was behind it once and for all.

A crashing sound erupted from the outside walls while Jaebum finished transferring the files, but he didn’t have to wonder what it was for long, Jackson Wang bursting through the metal doors with his shield, landing roughly on top of an armed marine. Locking the door was all for nothing.

“Hey stranger,” Jaebum quirked his eyebrow, playing it cool knowing he’d be caught once Jackson looked up. “What’s a kinda guy like you doing in a place like this?”

Evidently puzzled as he eyed where Jaebum was bent over the keyboard, Jackson sealed his shield on his back and walked forward. “Jaebum, what are you doing?”

He felt defiant, maybe a little catty even, thinking of an excuse to give the Captain that didn’t involve telling him his former best friend might have taken his coworkers hostage.

“Just doing a little research on who the people on this ship are.” It wasn't the full truth, but it wasn't a lie either, and he hoped it passed for now.

It didn’t.

Jackson squinted his eyes. “That’s not our mission. Our mission is to rescue the hostages.”

“No, that’s _your_ mission.” The flash drive was ejected from the computer, Jaebum dumping it back into his pocket before Jackson had the chance to ask anything more about it with his curious eyes. He met Jackson at eye level, smiling like a child when he patted his shoulder to segue into a different topic. “And you did a great job by the way, you and Tuan are a better team than you realize.”

Jackson however, didn’t fall for Jaebum’s tricks, not like Yugyeom or BamBam usually did. No, Jackson could see right through Jaebum in the most confusing of ways, and if it wasn’t so annoying, Jaebum would find it impressive.

“Why do you always have a need to defy my orders, Jaebum?”

He stopped, jaw clenched tight where their eye contact held longer than it should, neither of them blinking like it was another battle to be won. “I’m not defying anything-”

“Everytime I ask you to do something you always go and do the opposite, jeopardizing our missions because you want to play spy.” Jackson was closer to Jaebum’s face now, and although his tone reeked of anger, Jaebum could see in the lines of Jackson’s face that he wasn’t upset. There was irritation, confusion, and defeat in there, but most of all he looked hurt, like Jaebum’s defiant actions were a personal attack against him. Or worse, that Jackson was hoping better of Jaebum, as both a colleague and a friend.

“In case you haven’t noticed Wang, I am a spy, it’s why I was recruited.” Licking his lips, Jaebum tried to clear the uneasiness in his chest as Jackson watched him, wondering why suddenly it mattered that Jackson would have thought more of him. “Take it up with Park if _you_ have a problem with my work.”

“This is supposed to be a team, Im. You can’t just do other things behind my back, without telling me first,” he sighed, shoulders deflating in defeat. “When you first asked me to join SHIELD, you told me I could trust you,” he backed away, moving towards the busted down door. His words were laced with hurt, “I’m still waiting for you to give me the opportunity.”

Jaebum stood shell shocked at his words, anxiety rising somewhere deep within his chest. He was left watching Jackson’s retreating form as he headed back for the deck, wondering why his heart ached from the sad look in Jackson’s eyes as he said he didn’t trust him, suddenly feeling like there was more to be said about why Jackson would want to in the first place.

 

Most of the Avengers had already gone to bed, the lights drawn low in the common room of the tower. There was barely a glow in the corner brought to life by the synthetic fireplace, Mark’s personal preference after an episode with BamBam not knowing how to stoke the fire, ending up with the entire floor full of smoke and fire damage to parts of the ceiling.

Fighting off the soreness in his bones as he walked, Jaebum tumbled into the kitchen - well bar, actually, as it only stocked alcoholic beverages and fruit mixers - prepared to take the edge off of the worry that trickled through his veins.

He grabbed a six pack of beer, reminding himself to reimburse Mark later for it, ready to drink in the solace of his bedroom when another door opened.

Jackson appeared in a black tank top and shorts, stretching his arms as he looked Jaebum up and down. “Sorry, I heard a noise.”

“Just me,” Jaebum shrugged, dancing around the situation. The air was tense and maybe a little awkward as he watched Jackson nod with his lips pinched tight, trying to figure out what to say. He knew they needed to talk about this, for the sake of their team and their working relationship. Instead of an apology, he mustered up the courage to hold the case of beer up, gesturing to his door. “You look like you could use one.”

Jackson shook his head, brown locks falling into his eyes, an oddly beautiful sight. “I can’t get drunk.”

Still, Jaebum motioned for the older man to join him, determined to break the wall that’s between them. “That’s okay, I can.”

For a moment after he said this, he figured that Jackson’s lack of response was a rejection enough. Jaebum was prepared to sulk alone in his room while Jackson stayed mad at him, only he was moving closer to Jaebum’s door, gesturing for him to lead the way.

Jackson followed Jaebum tiredly into the quiet atmosphere of his room - nothing special, just dark walls and a bed spread out in the middle, a sad normalcy of minimalist tendencies from his time at the Academy. If Jackson noticed the pair of white straps tucked into the corners of his bed - a sad necessity for Jaebum to fall asleep that he carries with him - he didn't say anything.

Instead of staying in his room, Jaebum dragged Jackson out to the balcony that overlooked most of the city. It was breezy for this time of night, a perfect chill only attainable from this high up. As Tuan Tower was one of the highest structures in the city, Jaebum’s balcony was the perfect place to get away and clear his head when things got rough, so he knew Jackson would appreciate the sentiment.

Pulling out the first beer and uncapping the lid, he handed the glass bottle to Jackson, whose feet now dangled over the edge through the bars of the railing. He popped the top off a second one, letting the cool beverage slide past his lips. He knew there was much to be said, but he basked in the calm moment of the silence before getting serious.

“I’m sorry.” Surprisingly, Jackson was the one to break through the quiet air, having already finished half of his drink in one go. “About before, you just, don’t understand how hard it is to lead a team when everyone has their own agendas behind your back.”

Jaebum understood, he really did. He knew firsthand from his time in Korea what it was like leading a group, how hard it could be when they were not fully behind you. Deep down he knew what he'd been doing went behind Jackson’s back and he genuinely wished he could say something, but he swore to Director Park to keep silent about everything.

“I understand why you’re upset, I’m sorry too. I should have told you what Park wanted me to do.” Pulling his legs up to his chest where he watched the silver clouds of the night sky sway in the breeze, Jaebum dared to look over at Jackson’s face, eyes washing over the roundness of his eye lids and the tiny line of his nose. Jackson was irrevocably gorgeous, Jaebum had always thought so.

“I don’t blame you, Jaebum, I just don’t-”

“You just don’t trust me,” he finished, sipping sadly into his beer.

Jackson finally turned to him, setting his beer down with a sincere look in his eye. “I want to trust you, but you have to give me a reason to.”

There was something else there, in Jackson’s glinting eyes that Jaebum could’t decipher. As a spy he’d been trained to notice every detail and every emotion written on a person, but for some reason when it came to Jackson, Jaebum’s training failed him.

Feeling the weight of Jackson’s words hanging over him in the air, Jaebum decided to change the topic, taking another swig of his drink.

“Do you miss it? Your old life before?”

Startled, Jackson pulled his legs from the railing to face Jaebum with his body, looking uneasy. It was a loaded question, he knew.

Jackson took a minute before answering. “I try not to. I try to move on, as best as possible. I know there’s no way to go back, so I might as well get over it.”

His voice sounded a little broken from the thought, but Jaebum didn’t mention it. Secretly, he’d always admired how strong Jackson had been since being reanimated and brought back into the world. He lost everything he ever had and was thrown sixty something years into the future with no clue how to start a new life or what to even do with it. He thought Jackson was the truest definition of what a captain should be. He’d done alright for himself, a strength Jaebum wished he could possess.

“What’s holding you back?”

Instead of answering right away, Jackson plucked another bottle from the case and snapped the cap off with his bare fingers. He took a mouthful and swallowed, eyes dropping to the rim of the glass with sorrow. “I was in love.”

Jaebum’s mouth parted on a pained gasp. “Oh.”

It  wasn't like he figured Jackson was celibate or anything. He knew the sex-crazed teens of the fifties had always found someone to spend their time with, but seeing Jackson the way he was before, it was hard to imagine with who. He pictured a girl, maybe the same size as Jackson, dark hair pulled back into two braids that fell down her shoulders, dressed in a pink poodle skirt and a pair of saddle oxfords. Perhaps they met at school, or the beach when Jackson would work there. He wondered if they ate ice cream under the sun and planned the rest of their lives together before Jackson went off to war.

“He was my best friend.” Jackson’s use of the word _he_ broke down all the heterosexual delusions rumbling around in Jaebum’s mind, blanking blearily when he put the pieces together after registering the ‘best friend’ part. There was no way he could mean...

“His name was Jinyoung.”

At the sound of his name falling from Jackson’s lips, Jaebum’s hand tightened over the glass neck of his beer bottle reflexively. Jackson and Jinyoung had been… lovers? Sure Jackson had spoken fondly of him, even sulked for over a week trying to get over the idea of his friend not being alive anymore, so it wasn’t like it was impossible. But Jaebum never thought...

“We met in grade school when he defended me from school bullies,” Jackson explained, eyes downtrodden, lost in the distant memories of his past. “We lived in each other’s back pocket. When my parents died, his family basically adopted me. I went to war for him.” 

Breath caught short in his chest, Jaebum listened numbly as Jackson rambled on about his first love, coincidentally with the man that would later become Jaebum’s own. It didn’t feel real, listening to the person Jinyoung used to be as Jackson’s mouth moved slowly, reminiscing over the person Jaebum never knew. Two completely different people, trapped in two completely different times.

It hit him then, what it means. They were both in love with the same person, had both lived with, danced around, hugged, kissed, and even touched in the most intimate of places. It took a moment for Jaebum’s mind to process, but somehow, he felt even more connected to Jackson than he did before.

Then he remembered the dog tags Jinyoung had given him before he was gone forever. They had once belonged to the man sitting he before him, likely given to Jinyoung as a token not to forget about him or their love. It broke his heart, hands brushing around his neck to feel the ghost of the forgotten chain that laid in a box underneath his bed.

When he felt Jackson’s tired eyes on him after he finished, Jaebum gulped, needing to make sure this was real. “So you were really in love with him?”

“We were in love with each other,” Jackson corrected, holding his arms around himself, like a ball. “He confessed to me before our high school graduation. We’ve been - we _had_ been with each other ever since.”

Now suddenly Jaebum felt like a crook, he basically stole the love of Jackson’s life from between his frozen fingertips while he laid broken under the ice. Guilt ravaged him from the inside out, knowing that while Jackson believed Jinyoung to be dead, the truth was Jaebum had him all to himself those couple of years ago, neither of them knowing the distant past that brought them together.

“You don’t want to look for him, he could be still alive-?”

“No, he’s not.” Jaebum was caught off guard, Jackson silencing him when his voice broke just the tiniest bit. “I watched him die. The day my plane went under the ice, Jinyoung fell too.”

Glossiness overtook the pearly white of Jackson’s eyes, and Jaebum fought back urge to pull Jackson into his arms and let him know everything would be alright. Watching as Jackson dabbled a few loose tears from the corners of his eyes, something inside Jaebum pushed him to tell Jackson the full truth.

“Jackson, there’s something I need to tell you.”

Guilt ripped through Jaebum’s body as he was reminded of the lies he’d been helping Director Park feed Jackson, all in part for the good of the team. He knew it was wrong, making Jackson believe his best friend - and now revealed lover - was still dead after all these years, when he himself had been by his side for the better part of two years. Jackson was grieving for the loss of someone who was still alive, and keeping the secret from him had become too much placed on Jaebum’s conscience.

“What is it?” Jackson sniffled, eyes widening.

“I lost someone I loved too.” Jaebum cursed internally as he chickened out, squeezing his eyes tight before continuing. For some reason he couldn't bring himself to tell Jackson the truth, not wanting to see the look of betrayal in his eyes as every last shred of trust he had in Jaebum was broken forever. Jinyoung was gone anyway, there was no point in bringing those demons out. “Before I joined SHIELD. We worked together where I was trained, he was one of my teachers.” The wound of Jinyoung nearly killing him and leaving was still fresh like the scar on his abdomen, even though Jaebum had done well to forget about it the past couple of years. His new life had demanded it. “It’s been three years but I still think about him, even more now than ever.”

The reason why was sitting right before him, mouth parting as he listened to Jaebum’s own admission. Jackson must see the way Jaebum’s face had fallen, a mirrored version of his own. Jaebum didn’t cry like Jackson did, but still, within seconds there was a body scooting closer to his, one hand around his knee and the other coming up to palm the side of his face.

Despite the lies, Jaebum felt a weight leave his shoulders as Jackson rubbed the pad of his thumb along his cheekbone in comfort. He made the mistake of looking up right away, and accidentally let himself get lost in the swirls of Jackson’s coppery irises. He registered the closeness of their bodies, gulping from where Jackson’s hands burned the places he touched him.

“Hey, it’s okay. We’re Avengers, if we can fight criminals on the daily, we can get over our young love, right?” He smiled forlornly, in a way that shed a little hope in their situation. “If you ever need to talk, or need anything at all, you know you can come to me, right?”

There wasn’t really that kind of feel to their relationship before, but there was now, as they both shared intimate parts of their life with one another that they hadn’t dared tell the rest of the team. “I just wish I could forget.” Jaebum dared to nuzzle his cheek into Jackson’s palm, blushing from the warmth it brings. It felt wonderful, and suddenly he wanted more. “I wish there was something that could just… zap memories away.”

A puff of Jackson’s hot beer breath hit him in the face when the older paused for a moment in thought. “We could…”

Jaebum’s eyes snapped to Jackson’s where they were looking down at him, realizing then that his cheeks had the faintest pink tint to them. His pulse had beaten like a drum against his skin, face heating from their proximity to each other.

“We could what, Jackson?”

At the question, Jackson dared to slide the hand that was cupping Jaebum’s cheek down so that it was holding onto the soft skin of his neck. His eyes were hooded with implication. “We could help each other forget.”

Jaebum’s brain short circuited, nearly missing it when Jackson’s face moved closer, his other hand traveling down the base of Jaebum’s thigh, flooding him with new sensations. He knew what Jackson was insinuating they do immediately - fuck to forget. But it was crude, almost impossible to think that _the_ Captain America was seemingly asking to be some sort of fuck buddies. He would be lying if he said Jackson wasn’t drop dead gorgeous with thick arms burning to hold him down, and he would be lying if he said he hadn’t thought about it once or twice.

Jaebum stuttered, “But you don’t even like me.”

“I said I don’t trust you, Jaebum,” Jackson clarified, nose merely centimeters away from Jaebum’s own. “I never said I wasn’t attracted to you.”

His hands kept traveling, down the tops of Jaebum’s thigh to land on his hip, causing a hitch in his breath that Jackson must have heard as he gripped tighter onto the fabric of his sweats. Heat slithered down to Jaebum’s crotch as his eyes fell down to the parted space between Jackson’s lips, imagining what they would feel like on his own. He recognized faintly in the back of his brain that Jinyoung once kissed these lips too as he pressed forward without thinking straight, meeting Jackson’s mouth on the windy balcony.

It was just a light peck at first, to test the waters, but it had Jaebum sighing heavenly against Jackson’s lips with the closeness of it all. He hadn’t been kissed since Jinyoung, a constant ache that was finally being relieved.

He pushed back against Jackson’s mouth, swallowing the sound he makes when Jaebum parts his mouth just a little bit to let Jackson inside. The feeling was the same but new, when Jackson threaded his fingers in the hair at the base of Jaebum’s neck and ran his soft tongue along the underside of his bottom lip.

He pulled back hesitantly, lips shiny. “Is this okay?”

It was more than okay for Jaebum, who nodded eagerly before tugging Jackson back to him by the straps of his tank top. Jackson found his mouth easily again and groaned when Jaebum opened up pliantly for him, breathing through his nose as Jaebum sucked around his tongue.

The heat from Jackson’s mouth paired with the strong grip in his hair and on his hips was enough for Jaebum’s brain to go fuzzy, chasing the feeling Jackson breathed into him as he licked his way into the older’s mouth.

Lightheaded from the feeling of euphoria Jackson gave him, Jaebum let the captain take control of everything, doing his best to meet Jackson’s mouth with every bite of his lip and swipe of his tongue. It was less difficult than it should have been, kissing Jackson like this, letting himself be explored like a map. It was definitely different kissing Jackson than it was kissing Jinyoung, as Jinyoung was forceful and strong with his lips, whereas Jackson was drawn out and delicate, making Jaebum whine for more. He wondered briefly, if this was how Jackson kissed Jinyoung - like he was a delicate flower freshly picked from the earth.

After kissing for what feels like hours, Jackson guided Jaebum’s back down flat against the floor of the balcony and climbed over to straddle his waist. Jaebum in return lifted his hips to meet Jackson’s, gasping in relief when their clothed crotches brushed against one another gently.

Jackson didn’t remove his mouth from Jaebum’s for a second as he grinded his body down sweetly, eliciting a purr from the younger. Jackson was already half hard in his shorts, moving his hips in tandem with Jaebum’s own as he bucked into the touch for some release.

While Jackson’s moves were gentle and warm, Jaebum itched for something more as his hands slid from Jackson’s shoulders to the waistline of his shorts, playing with the cotton material in hopes Jackson would get the hint.

With his own erection straining in his grey sweats, Jaebum whined for more contact. “Jackson,” he breathed, head thrown back against the floor. “Please.”

Fully hard by the noises Jaebum made alone, Jackson groaned into his neck with a kiss to Jaebum’s pulse point, hands digging into the plush skin around his hips. Conversations from before were replaced with lust filled _want_ that had Jackson getting Jaebum’s message, releasing him from his sweats with a hiss.

Jaebum’s fully erect cock laid flat against his stomach, leaking at the tip and begging to be touched. Jackson eyed it with blown pupils, licking his lips. But instead of bending down to take the head of his cock between his lips, Jackson brought his hand to Jaebum’s mouth. “Open.”

Doing so got three fingers sliding into Jaebums heated mouth where he sucked on the digits generously, mewling like a cat. Jaebum made sure to put on his best show for Jackson, body slack and eyes fluttering as his lips curled around his fingers and sucked obscenely.

Jackson began pumping his fingers in and out of Jaebum’s mouth, earning a pleased moan from Jaebum’s throat. Not wanting to leave their cocks untouched, Jackson continued to roll his hips into Jaebum’s, searching for the sweet hint of pleasure that came with it.

When he deemed Jaebum’s mouth finger-fucked raw enough, he removed them, met with Jaebum’s own whimper at the loss. Hands found his shorts and Jackson tugged them down to his knees with little finesse, eager to finish getting them off.

It became a little sloppy when Jackson lined their bare cocks together and coated them with the spit on his fingers, but Jaebum didn’t care at all, too focused on enjoying the tug of pleasure that shoots through this abdomen when Jackson finally ground into him with more pressure.

Being out in the open as Jackson fucked into him made everything feel more intense, like there was a fire scorching his skin everywhere they touched They were too high up and far away from any other buildings around for anyone to see them, but somehow the erratic humping session was ten times hotter knowing they were still secluded.

Jaebum hadn’t been touched this way in so long, so he knew he wasn’t going to last much longer with Jackson pressed against him like this. The last couple of times Jackson slid their cocks together were it for him too, coming along Jaebum’s erection and the space between his legs with an airy cry.

Not wanting to delay Jaebum’s orgasm any longer, Jackson used his own come and Jaebum’s spit as lubricant to get Jaebum off the rest of the way, wrapping his hand around the base of his cock.

He got Jaebum off with practiced finesse, fingers pumping his swollen cock up to the tip, where the smallest swipe over his slit had Jaebum arching his back and gasping out.

Jackson’s mouth covered his own as Jaebum faintly moaned when he finally came, painting Jackson’s black top in stripes of white. Face flushed and chest falling into its natural rhythm once more, Jaebum pet Jackson’s hair with a smile, disregarding the mess they'd made of each other.

“Did that help?” Jackson breathed hotly against his neck, kissing in all the places he didn’t get a chance to during the heat of the moment.

Jaebum laughed, feeling the tiredness from today’s activities as they sunk into his bones.

“It’s a start.”

Los Angeles. 2019.

 

Mark has already taken down the Chitauri central command, what with the strike missile the Security Council had ordered to blow the city up with. It was the perfect excuse to end their alien opponents and _not_ to die, despite the claims by the council that the city was beyond saving and needed to be destroyed before the Chitauri took over the rest of the world.

The Chitauri fall lifeless to the ground and the fighting stops for a moment, all six of the Avengers pausing to take a much needed breath and asses their wounds.

Jaebum had somehow navigated the Chitauri cruiser to the top of Tuan Tower, where the portal to the Chitauri had been opened with some sort of energy machine by a maniacal demigod hellbent on dominating the earth. The same scepter they’d found with BamBam all those years ago, one with enough power to take down a helicarrier, sits at the edge of the tower near the machine that still sends blasts of blue energy into the sky where it opens up into the fabric of space.

Jaebum knows the power the scepter wields (as evident by the god who nearly killed them all with it in his quest for power), but doesn’t know if it’s enough to close the portal by itself. It was worth a shot. “I think I can close the portal!” He says to the group, eyeing the the small opening in the energy device that was no doubt put in there to be a safety switch.

“Do it!” He hears Jackson in his ear, and doesn’t need any other confirmation before he posses the tip of the scepter into the machine’s opening.

The pressure from the magnetic field around it strains the muscles in Jaebum’s arms, but he knows he has to get this thing closed unless they want something else to come through. With all the force he has left in his body after the greatest fight of his life, the scepter pierces the magnetic barrier and slides into the opening with a click.

The effect is instantaneous, the machine bursting with one last jolt of energy that sends Jaebum flying limply to the ground where his vision nearly blacks out. A second later the machine’s power flickers on and off before fading out completely, followed by the edges of the portal sinking into each other with a ghostly pop as it finally closes forever.

Body sore from all the fighting and being thrown on his front, Jaebum weakly registers the hoots and hollers from the rest of his team in his ear. On the brink of losing consciousness Jaebum smiles to himself, knowing they’ve won, Los Angeles and the rest of the world will live to see another day.

Before he can black out completely a hand is on his shoulder pulling him to his feet, enough pressure on him to bring him back to his senses as his eyes find the light of day again. Jackson stands before him, lip busted, cuts and bruises on his head and neck, and a wonderfully bright smile splitting his entire face in two.

“You did it!” He gasps with his fingers digging into Jaebum’s shoulders, still breathless from the battle.

Jaebum matches his grin fiercely, hands coming up to cradle Jackson’s elbows as he presses their foreheads together. “ _We_ did it.”

He wants so badly to lean the rest of the way in and seal their victory with a kiss, but there’s more to be done. The rest of the city is left in shambles that needs cleaning up, so as the rest of the team meets them on the platform of Tuan Tower, Jaebum reluctantly lets go, but keeps a loving eye on Jackson the entire time he gives out orders on what the should do next.

 

 

Cleaning up the mess they technically don’t cause but _do_ contribute to is never as simple as sweeping up the dirt with a broom and a dustpan. It takes long, draining hours of careful planning with the city officials and waste management operations, not to mention tending to the wounded and burying the dead.

Luckily for them this time around, even though the battle was the largest they’ve ever seen, they were able to push through with minor bruises and scrapes. At the end of the day when SHIELD in partnership with the FBI takes over and sends the Avengers home to get their well deserved rest, they pack up their gear and head back to the tower to asses the damages.

“Nothing too bad,” as Mark points out to them. There’s a few broken windows and the upstairs floor is dented from Mark and BamBam’s tussle with the demigod, but other than that she came out fairly unscathed.

The rest of them are just as lucky, no broken bones or concussions, just a few minor sprains and contusions. The worst of it all comes with the searing ache in their muscles as they drag them themselves for proper aftercare and clean up, dreading what it’ll feel like when they wake up in the morning.

Jaebum takes his time scrubbing the dirt off his skin and the blood under his nails, breathing deep as the colors of brown and red swirl down the drain. Once he’s all washed up he tends to the few cuts he finds on his face, bandaging a particularly deep cut over his right eyebrow with a white bandage. He tapes his wrists up for safety and slides into his comfiest pajama bottoms and black shirt, letting himself have this small moment of triumph.

Back in the common area of their floor Jaebum finds Jackson sipping on a hot mug of chai tea, freshly showered and tended to himself. There are bruises and cuts along his chest and arms, but it’s nothing Jackson can’t handle; they’ll be gone within days anyway, unlike the rest of them with _non_ super soldier cells that regenerate daily. They meet on the couch, both drained from the day’s events but still buzzing at the same time, not quite ready to go to sleep yet.

Jackson offers Jaebum a sip of tea and grabs for the remote, a year and a half later still in shock that you don’t have to stand up to change the channel. Some seventies horror flick pops up, Jaebum snatching the remote out of Jackson’s hands before he can change it.

“Jae, come on,” he whines, bottom lip puffed out. “You know I don’t like scary movies.”

Smiling at Jackson’s cuteness, Jaebum crosses his arms in mock disbelief. “You’re _The_ Captain America! You just fought an alien race, and you’re scared of a little horror movie?”

To this response Jackson frowns like a child, looking deeply at Jaebum with his big puppy dog eyes. “Please?”

Jaebum huffs, but changes the channel anyway, Jackson having him twisted around his little finger. What had started off as a mutual benefits package had grown into something else entirely the past year of them being together, and Jaebum wasn’t foolish enough to pretend there wasn’t.

It feels right, when Jackson combs his hair back for him, exposing the bandage on his forehead and kissing it lightly. It feels right when they finally settle on a channel that has Jaebum resting his head on Jackson’s shoulder, content in their little bubble.

He was finally at a place in his life where he could admit that he was finally over whatever love he had in the past - they both were. It had been a long journey, but time was key to getting past the hardships he faced in love, Jackson by his side every step of the way. While nothing was claimed yet for either of them, Jaebum knew both had developed something for the other. They never discussed it, and were content to keep things easy.

That’s how it was for them, and it felt right.

Jaebum felt comfort in the hand that carded through his wet locks, throwing his legs over Jackson’s lap like he usually would when they had nothing to do but watch movies together. He starts drifting off but another voice not from the television brings him back to reality, looking up to see Yugyeom somersaulting onto the couch before they could find less compromising positions.

Jaebum’s too tired to move, and it would be pointless anyway, they all had their hunches by now.

“What are we watching?” The youngest asks as the elevator doors open, revealing a disheveled Mark Tuan running off a list of numbers into the phone pressed to his ear, Youngjae following close behind.

“Whatever it is, I’ll pay it,” Mark says as he rounds the couch, plopping down on the other side of Yugyeom. “Just get someone to fix the hole in my house by tomorrow.”

After hanging up, he looks to the rest of the crew, shrugging. Youngjae joins them too with a bag of snacks in his hand covered with an ace bandage, settling down on the floor between Mark’s legs. “What are we watching?”

Despite the fact that they had barged in on the pair, neither Jackson nor Jaebum are angry, shrugging their shoulders in unison.

The team is finally complete when BamBam emerges from his room after hearing the ruckus, complaining before he’s even settled in the ottoman next to them. He catches sight of Jaebum half in Jackson’s lap, pointing a finger in their direction but directing his question at the rest. “Is this allowed?”

Jaebum is too tired to care, smiling from where he ducks his face into Jackson’s sleeve. Mark on the other hand however, snaps his fingers at BamBam menacingly.

“Hey, the elderly deserve to find love too ya know!” Picking fun at Jackson’s age is never an old joke for Mark, who snickers to himself. The giggles morph into an _ouch, fuck!_ when Youngjae throws his head back, straight into Mark’s crotch.

“Oopsie!” He laughs, catching Jaebum’s eye with a wink.

Jaebum’s smile widens, content with the banter and the dynamics of their team. It feels so raw and natural when they’re altogether like this, even more so than when they’re fighting off villains. Jaebum knows he’s found something special here, forever grateful to Director Park for giving him this chance.

As Jaebum closes his eyes and listens to the rhythmic sounds of Jackson’s breathing beneath him, he thinks about how content he is in his life right now. He’s got a steady job saving the world on the regular, and he’s surrounded by the people who he cares about most. After twenty five long years of waiting and searching, he’s finally got something he can take pride in. He’s happy, for the first time in a long time, and nothing could come in the way of that happiness.

A jingling noise comes from Mark’s phone across the couch, loud enough to grab the attention of everyone else. He pulls it out, only to groan.

“It’s Park.”

The director bursts through the holographic blue screen when Mark tosses it before them to hang in the open air. He looks tired as well, his good eye drained of all energy.

“Something’s come up,” he announces, causing everyone to shift uneasily. “I know this is coming at an inconvenient time, but this may be even bigger than the Chitauri. I need you in Berlin right away.”


End file.
